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energy

Portion of National Grid charges to increase

TEC-RI, a local nonprofit collaborative of energy users focused on G-rate, or industrial, customers, is warning its members about upcoming increases in electric delivery service rates from National Grid.

COURTESY NATIONAL GRID

Posted:
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 4:08 pm

By Marc MainvilleContributing Writer

PAWTUCKET – TEC-RI, a local nonprofit collaborative of energy users focused on G-rate, or industrial, customers, is warning its members about upcoming increases in electric delivery service rates from National Grid.

Bill Ferguson, executive director of TEC-RI, describes these industrial customers as typically being businesses, public buildings, hospitals or other similar customers.

Ferguson says a proposal filed with the state Public Utilities Commission by National Grid would increase the delivery portion of G-rate customers bills by 3.1 percent compared with current rates and by 12.3 percent over delivery rates effective one year ago.

David Graves, a spokesman for National Grid, said delivery rates, which are based on usage, will increase for all National Grid customers on April 1 to cover increases in the cost of renewable energy certificates, transmission charges and other charges on the delivery side of the bill.

However, he added, “for the industrial, or G-class, customers, who buy their electricity from us there will be a significant decrease in the cost of electricity, creating a net decrease in monthly bills for those customers.

He went on to say that “most of our customers in the G classes buy their electricity on the competitive market and use us for delivery only. Whether they will benefit from lower electricity costs would depend on their purchase agreements with their suppliers.”

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